The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-12-14
Hrg.. Lew Wallsss Opens the DOosS Of Ths
Forbidden Rooms.
Lu1uriss Of the Hsrsm-Sa,dy Gardens
Where Nightingale Sing.
Rushing Wstsrs Cool tie Air-P4lloEs Of
Silk snd Tasssls Of Gald.
Turkish Women and COsme tics-Bath
Rooms of Alabaster-HO Life and
Time Are Spent, Etc.
lCopyrighted, 1871

OldNeIy ID tue
Ottoman Empire, but 1T is said-I know
not how truly-that 10000 are annually
bought, the larger portion women who be-
come inmates of Turkish ha-ems; and this
miDgling with the fairest race has subdued
the original ugliness of the Tartar.
There are boundless possibilities in their
exchange of circumstance. Each one
may become an odalisgue, the mother OF
princes, even Sultana. For by the
strange code of the Moslem, the Saltan
must marry slave, one who las been
bought and sold, and the lowest on whom
he casts passing look has hope of such
high destiny.
The Turk can have four lawful,wives,
though few have more than one. We
copy father Jacob, they plead. and if you
hint at forbidden numbers, we are like
Solomon the wise, and David his father
No Oriental woman makes secret her
wish to mary any more than the widow of
Moab in the barley fields among the
cleaners at Bethlehem, and her prayer is
yet the prayer OF Rachael, give me children
else die.
With this underfow of feeling, Caucasian
women willingly leave their wretched
homes, and when ships touch at the coasts
come TO the travellers and implore them
TO carry them away IS servants. They
have seen their brotheTs-handsome and
IN foreign armies. Tneir costume of Per
sian embrOideries belted with siloco grid
les, their sharp scimetars enamelled with
gold, dszzle the sight. The women long
to follow and tempt fate in the CITY which
they have heard lies ike bird aaoat on
the waters of the Golden Horn.
These young girls have little tenderness
20 remember. In one garment they have
heTded sheep and carried water-iars on
oh in = a
summer, and rolled in skins, on the mud
floor OF smoky den, they have shiyered
in biting winds blowing across glaciers
which never melt.
They do not sigh for freedom, they have
had freedom in their own hills; they want
| to thrust their bare feet into velvet slip
| pers spaDgled with gold. and loll on soft di-
vans in rooms lined with bright marbles.
The trade is carried on ry Jews and is a
| necessary part Of polygamy. The slaves
| enter better condItions,thao they leave, are
usually kindly treated, and by law are free
. at the end of seven years. The whole sys-
tenn is patriarchal and was ancient before
| the coming Of the Father of the Faithful
Contrrcts for marriage are oftenest made
| by the mother of the bride, who som stimes
does not see her fiancs till she is rcbed tor
the ceremony; and old maids are unknoEn
| in the Empire, where maids are mar.
| riageable at sixteen, or younger.
wedding festivities sometimes last a
whole week. The men, IN their rooms,
smoke solemnly and sip coffee ;-1.laugh ter "
says their prOverb, sis for women aud
children" And meTrily laughter rings
through the screened doors before the
| apartments of the women Their gaiety
| oyertiOws in tests AID playful tricks trivi-
al and meaningless to Us, but delightful
TO them. Charms are practiced, fortunes
foretold and dreams, in which they have
ohild.like faith, are related. Sometim es a
marriage is delayed on account of a bad
omen or unlucky dream.
The presents OF the wealthy are Jewels,
/ furs and embroideries shawls from the
/ goats of Thibet, silks of Indian dyes, rich
as coronation robes, scarfs of Mecca woven
of pure, white silk shot with silver. The
larger garments are strung on cord
| stretched against the walls of the bridal
/ chamber. A wreath of artificial flowers
borders its ceiling and the draperies below
i make a vari coiored lining, gay as the
sbawl-lined tent of Haroun.Al-Ra schid
| All is arranged with the unerriug eye fol
color which distinguishes the Oriental, and
the work goes on with intervals of feast
ing, eating sugar plums, and wild fantastic
music, at once harsh and sorrowful.
The bride is radiant in white or ros,
pink wrought with gold; her nails anC
= ups ORC uJtu Win duu al
amulet Of cornelian, inscribed with verse
from the Koran, is hung round her neck
a defense against the evil eye.
When the hour comes for the betrothe,
strangers TO see each other face to face 70
the FIRST time, her best friend kisses tn
bride between the eyebrows, removes be
veil and spreads IL on the floor. The bride
groom kneels upon il and offers the touch
ing pray er appointed by Lord Mohammed
regarded as the most acceptable that cal
be addressed to the Deity on this occasion
IN THE HAREN.
The word harem means the holy o
sanctified, and in general sense is given Z
any spot peculiarly hallowed. / was a lon
while learning that the name applies t
the spacious enclosed court abou
mosques; not barred prison, bu
consecrated ground, revered as a sanctuary
However blank and bare the remainder o
the house may be-and usually is-the for
hidden rooms are well furnished, accordin
TO Moslem fancy, in which is copied. a
far as possible, their ideal paradise; al
adorable palace with thousand window
and before every window q sparkling foun
tain.
Free light, abundant space, shad,
gardens where the nightingale sings anon
the roses, and rushing waters cool the air
These are the Injuries which foreshadov
the golden pleasure fields kept for tn
Faithful by the Hours.
The women, old and young, assemble il
the sacred rooms, with their children ant
/ attendants, and they are the center OF tn
world 10 the housekeeping Turk, VIII
cares nothing for travel and never EN-
crates. His spare time and money ar
spent there, and the wife is, in the tende
Arabian phrase, the keeper Of her nus
bands soul.
Turkish houses are much alike. Tn
entrance is through a double door, iarg
enough for horses and carriage. Beyon
it is a swing screen suspended like gat
and hides the vestibule, or court whe
the street door opens. Two outside stail
cases appear, one leading to the men
apartments, the other to the women's. A
the first landing, the visitor finds the blac
aga or guard before the door to which onl
one man Is admitted and which is forbiC
den to the sight and thought of all me
save that one,
There is no special place to eat or slice
in. A low divan running round the wa
OF each room Is rs ade bed by night, Oh
clothes being kept In presses by day. /
imperial palaces the coverets are of Lshol
stuffs, embroidered with colored silks IL
terwoven with pearls and turquoises. II
sheets are OF fine cotton barred with strip
, | of silk Ifka satin rfhhon The nfllouvo hax